Every Star Who Honored Dolly Parton During The CMA Tribute Special
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Dozens of stars came together to honor Dolly Parton during a CMA television tribute on Wednesday night, October 21.
The broadcast, titled CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton, aired live from Nashville, Tennessee.
For anyone who had the chance to watch, whether it was in person or tuning in from home, you know how magical the evening was. Seeing so many people come together to celebrate Dolly’s impact on not only country music, but also her philanthropic work made the night even more meaningful.
Proceeds from the event also went directly to Dolly’s Imagination Library, her childhood literacy program.
It was truly a one-of-a-kind show for an extraordinary person.
Keep scrolling to see every star who paid tribute to Dolly Parton during the two-hour television special.
RELATED: HOW TO WATCH DOLLY PARTON’S CMA TRIBUTE CONCERT IF YOU MISSED IT LIVE
Artists Who Performed
- Ashley McBryde – “Coat of Many Colors”
- Brad Paisley & Sierra Hull – “When I Get Where I’m Going”
- Carly Pearce & Kristin Chenoweth – “9 to 5”
- Carrie Underwood – “I Will Always Love You”
- Darius Rucker – “Two Doors Down”
- Ella Langley – “Jolene”
- Kelsea Ballerini – “Here You Come Again”
- Lady A – “Islands In The Stream”
- Lainey Wilson & Molly Tuttle – “Train, Train”
- Little Big Town – “Light of a Clear Blue Morning”
- Lukas Nelson & Lainey Wilson – “You Can’t Make Old Friends”
- Reba McEntire – “He’s Alive”
- Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Molly Tuttle, Béla Fleck – “A Few Old Memories”
- Zac Brown – “Butterfly”
Non-Performing Guests & Video Messages
- Oprah Winfrey shared a pre-recorded video – said Dolly “represented to me the essence of being 100% who you see yourself to be. Authentic all the time, and I just loved her for it.”
- Katy Perry was in attendance – said Dolly was “Devastatingly sharp and equally as sweet. She could read you for filth with a wink and a smile, and then make sure that your children learn to read too.”
- Julia Roberts shared a pre-recorded video – said it was “magical to see someone so alive, so present.”
- Carol Burnett shared a pre-recorded video– recalled a time when Dolly surprised her with a home-cooked meal.
Other special appearances during the night were made by:
- Goldie Hawn
- U2’s Bono
- Amy Grant
- Kimberly Williams-Paisley
- Sabrina Carpenter
Perhaps the most powerful moment of the night came at the very end, when the entire lineup walked on stage for an unforgettable group singalong.
What started as a solo performance by Carrie Underwood singing “I Will Always Love You” slowly turned into a group effort as the other stars joined her to help finish the song.
It was the final thing viewers got to see before the cameras cut, and the perfect way to end the special in honor of Dolly.
